Register for pool-tables.



PATBNTED SEPT. 8, '1903;

l G. G. BECK.

REGISTER PoR POOL TABLES.'

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 25. 1903.

I0 MODEL.

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UNTTED STATES Patented September 8, 1903.

GEORGE C. BECK, OF BEAVEROREEK, MINNESOTA.

REGISTER FOR POOL-TABLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,515, dated September-'48, 1903. Original application iiled November 25, 1902, Serial No. 132,724. Divided and this application led March 25, 1903. Serial To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. BECK, of Beavercreek, county of Rock, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Registers for Pool-Tables, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to registers designed for use in connection with the operating mechanism shown and described in a certain pending application for Letters Patent of the United States filed by me November 25, 1902, Serial No. 132,724, and of which application this case is a division.

The object of my invention is to provide a' registering mechanism arranged, preferably, near the cashiers desk in a pool-room by means of which the cashier, proprietor of the room, or an attendant can at a glance determine the games up to aV certain predetermined number that have been played at any table in the room and the total of the games played at all the tables.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description.

The invention consists generallyin various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical section of-a registering mechanism einbodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line a: a; of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on the line .e of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the total-wheel-operating bar.

In the drawings I have shown a registering mechanism adapted for keeping a record of the games played at two pool-tables, there being two registers that are duplicates inv construction arranged one above the other in cases or boxes that are separable to allow the register to be used with but one table or secured together, as shown, to adapt the device for use with two or more tables. These registers, as stated, being duplicates, a description of one will be sutticient.

I prefer to arrange the registering mechanism within a suitable metallic box or .casing 2, closed at all sides except for the peep- (No model.)

hole 2', through which the gures on the counter may be read.

4 represents a counter having on its periphery a series of ratchet-teeth 5 and a hub 6, mounted on a stud 6', supported in the walls of the box. One side of the counter is provided with a series of tigures which I designate by the reference-numeral 7, said Iigures running consecutively from 0 to 15, there being a figure opposite each` ratchettooth visible through the peep-hole as the counter is revolved.

8 represents a dog that is vertically slidable in guides 9 on the walls of the casing and pivoted at a point intermediate to its ends on an arm 10, that is pivotally supported on the casing 2. A spring 1l holds the arm 10 in a depressed position and engages the lower end of the dog 8 to press its upper end into engagement with the teeth 5. The dog 8 is provided at its upper end with an inclined surface 12, that engages a pin 13 on the guide 9 to hold the upper end of said dog away from the teeth of the counter when the dog is in Y its normally depressed position. A cord 14 is connected to the upper end of said dog and passes through the top of the casing to the operating mechanism arranged over the pooltable, as shown and described in my pending application above referred to. l

1 5 is a vertically-movable bar mounted in guides in the casing and having a slot 16 to receive the lower end of. the dog 8 when it is raised whereby vertical movement of said dog to actuate the counter' will cause a corresponding movement of the bar 15.- The lower end of the bar is provided with a pin 17, that is engaged by aspx-ing 18, that yieldingly holds said bar in a depressed position, and a lug 19 on said bar is arrangedto engage the teeth of a total-counter wheel 21. I prefer to provide four of the total-counters 2l, mounted upon shafts 24 and provided with aseries of figures that are visible through peep-holes 24', provided in the wall of the cas- .ing 25, that incloses the said total-counters. There are preferably ten teeth on each of the wheels 21, and the numerals running from 0 to 10 thereon I amable consequently t0 register ten thousand (10,000)

IOO

gam/es on the total-register wheels. Each wheel iS provided with a pin 27, which when its wheel has about completed its revolution will engage a tooth of the next higher wheel and move it one step, and in the bottom of the casingr25 I prefer to provide springs' 28, that engage the teeth ofthe total-counters and prevent backward movement thereof. The casing 2 of the individual table-register is provided with a rabbeted lower edge 29 to receive the corresponding upper edge of the individual register next below where more than one register is used,'or the edge of the total-register easing, which where only one table-register is employed would be secured to the bottom thereof instead ofnto the bottom of the second register, as shown in thev figure. By removing the screws that secure the casing of the table-registers and the totalregisters together I can readily increase or decrease the number of table-registers used according to the number of tables in the poolroom. I prefer to' make the slot 16 of sufficient length so that the dog 8 will not operate the total-counter until the table-register has begun its movement, and I thus prevent the small total-counter from being moved too far by the operation of the same mechanism that moves the table-counter. The bar 15 is provided with notched ends 15', that are adapted to interlock with the corresponding end or p ends of adjoining bars when two or more of the casings 2 are secured together. In this way as the number of counters are increased the connection with the total-wheels is lengthened. I provide each counter-casing with a lug 40, that is in the path of the vertically-movable dog, and when the dog has nearly completed its upward stroke its lower end will engage this lug and be forced thereby out of the slot 16 to release the bar l5 and the upper end of the dog will be disengaged from the tooth of the counter. If lthe counter has just completed its revolution and the dog is raised to register the sixteenth game, the pin 34 will engage the arm 33, trip the lever 87, and allow the spring 35 to return the counter to zero. The bar 15 being released will be drawn down to its normal position by the action of the spring 18 and sliding past the lower end of the dog will hold the upper end of the same away from the teeth of the counter. When the dog is allowed to return to its normal position, its lower end will drop into the slot 16, ready for the neXt operation. In its depressed position the dog will be held away from the teeth of the counter by the pin V12 to allow the attendant to return the counter to zero at any time by tripping the lever 37.

The registers are arranged, preferably, near the cashier-s desk in the pool-room, and it is desirable after a number of games less than the number that can be indicated by the register have been played at a table to provide some means for allowing the counter for that table to be returned to zero, so that if a table has been used a certain length of time by a party of players when they give up the table and another party begins to play the cashier or attendant can set the counter at zero before the balls are placed upon the table'for the new series of games. The mechanismVY which I prefer to employ for this purpose consists of an arm 33, loosely mounted on the hub 6 in the path of a pin 34 on the under sideof the counter 41.-. One end of the arm 33 is wider and heavier than the other, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l, and acts as a counterbalance to hold the opposite end normallyin contact with the lug 37,whereon the lever 37 is pivoted. A spring 35 is secured at one end ofthe casing and at its othe'rend to the hub G of said counter and is put in tension by the forward revolution of the counter tovreturn it to zero when released. A lever 37 is mounted on the casing 2 and is yieldingly held in engagement with the teeth of the counter by a spring 3S. The end of said lever projects through the wall of the casing and is provided with a key 39. The pin 34 will travel around with the counter as the games are registered, and as the dog 8 is raised by the operation of registering the sixteenth game the pin will engage the upper side of the arm 33 and actuate the same to force the lever 37 out of engagement with the counter-teeth, (see the lower counter in Fig. 1,) and as soon as the dog 8 is released and returned to its normal position the spring 35 will revolve the counter back to zero. When the counter has nearly completed its revolution, the pin 34 will engage the under side of the arm 33 and return it to its normal position, as shown by the upper counter in Fig. l, and allow the lever 37 to engage the teeth of the counter. The counter as soon as it completes its revolution will thus be automatically returned to zero to register a new series of games, while the total of the preceding series will be indicated by the total-counter.4 It will not, therefore, be necessary for the pool-room attendant to watch the register or even be present at all times, as the counter will show the number of games played up to a certain predetermined number and will then be automatically returned to zero to begin a new series. It will sometimes happen, however, that a group of players will finish using a table without playing a sufficient number of games to cause the complete revolution of the counter, and in such case the cashier or attendant after noting the number of games played will press the key 39, disengage the lever 37 from the counter, and allow the spring to return to Zero. The register for that table is then ready to be used again to indicate the number of games played in another series. The cashier is thus able by having a register for each table to determine the eX- act number of games played at each table and the amount to be charged to the players.

I claim- 1. In apool-table register, the combination, with a suitable casing, of a counter provided IOO IIO

in said casing having a series of teeth in its periphery and numerals on its face, means for revolving said counter, a spring provided on said counter and arranged to be placed under tension by the forward movement of the same, a lever engaging said teeth to prevent backward movement of the counter, and a counterbalanced arm loosely mounted on the axis of said counter and arranged to engage said lever and disengage it from said teeth to allow said spring to return said counter to zero when it has completed its revolution.

2. In a pool-table register, the combination` with a suitable casing, of a counter arranged in said casing and having a series of teeth in its periphery and numerals on its face, means for revolving said counter, a spring provided on said counter and arranged to be placed under tension by the forward movement of the same, a pin carried by said counter, alever having one end projecting through the casing and provided with a key and its opposite end engaging said teeth to prevent backward movement of the counter, and a counterbalanced arm normally stationaryarranged in the path of said pin to be actuated thereby to disengage said lever from said teeth, for the purpose specified.

3. In apool-table register, the combination, with the casing, of a counter provided therein having a series of teeth in its periphery and numerals arranged at intervals on its face, a sliding dog arranged to engage the teeth of said counter, a lever normally preventing the backward movement of said counter, a spring for returning said counter to its Zero position when released, a spring for normally holding'said dog out of engagement with said teeth, a cord connected with said dog, a series of total-counter wheels, and a bar arranged to be actuated by the movement of said dog for operating said total counter wheels.

4. The combination, with-a counter-wheel having peripheral teeth and numerals on its face, of means for rotating said wheel forward, a spring for returning said wheel to its zero position, a normally stationary arm, a pin carried by said wheel and arranged to engage said arm when said wheel completes its revolution, and a spring-actuated lever normally preventing backward movement of said counter and arranged to be disengaged from the teeth thereof by the movement of said arm.

5. In a pool-table register, the combination, with the casing, of a counter provided with peripheral teeth and numerals on its face opposite said teeth, a reciprocating dog arranged to engage said teeth and move said counter forward, an arm whereon said dog is pivoted intermediate toits ends, a reciprocating bar, a series of totalcounter wheels arranged to be actuated by the movement of said bar, a spring provided on said arm normally holding one end of said dog toward said counter and its other end toward said bar, whereby, when said dog is moved, said counter will be revolved and said bar actuated to operate said counter-wheels.

6. The combination, with a suitable casing, of counters mounted therein having peripheral teeth and a series of figures on their faces opposite said teeth, springs for normally holding said counters in their Zero position, means for preventing the backward movement of said counters, dogs arranged to engage the teeth of said counters, cords connected with said dogs for operating the same independently, springs normally holding said dogs in their retracted position, a series of total-counter wheels, and operative means provided between said dogs and said counterwheels whereby the movement of either dog to operate its counter, will impart a corresponding movement to said total-counter wheels.

7. In a pool-table register, the combination, with a suitable casing, of a counter arranged therein and provided with a series of teeth on its periphery and numerals on its face, a reciprocating dog pivoted at a point intermediate toits ends within said casing, aspring normally holding said dog out of engagement with said teeth, a cord connected with said dog and arranged to move one end thereof into engagement with the teeth of said counter, a total-counter and a sliding bar connected therewith and in the path of the otherv end of said dog, and a lug arranged in the path of said dog to disengage it from said teeth and said bar when near the limit of' its movement, substantially as described.

8. In a pool-table register, the combination, with a suitable casing, of a counter arranged therein and provided with a series of teeth in its periphery and numerals on its face that are visible, a reciprocating dog arranged to engage said teeth, a spring normally holding said dogin a retracted position, flexible means connected with said dog and arranged to move it into engagement with the teeth of said counter, a total-counter, a reciprocating bar connected therewith and arranged to be engaged by said dog, and means arranged in the path of said dog and adapted to-disengage it from said teeth and said bar when said dog is near the limit of its movement.

9. A pool-table register, comprising a plurality of counter-casings separably connected, counters provided therein and having a series of teeth in their peripheries and numerals on their faces, springs arranged to be put under tension by the forward movement of said counters, means for preventing their backward movement, means having flexible connections for moving said counters forward step by step, total-counters, and sectional means arranged to be actuated by any one of said counter-moving means to operate said total-counter, substantially as described.

l0. The combination, with the casing, ofa counter having teeth and a series of figures ISC ter Wheels, operative means Connected with said total-wheels and arranged to be engaged and actuated by said dog when it is operated to move its counter, and means for disengaging said dog from said operative means When said dog has reached the limit of its movement.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of March, 1903.

GEORGE C. BEQK.

In presence of- HENRY L. NoWKA, E. C. BROOKS. 

